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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · snap · deal · pass · racket · leaves · drill · cap

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cap — of ice
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. deal — to handle
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rest — a break
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — a hat
  20. snap — to click
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. racket — for tennis

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com