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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pass · bowl · bear · ball · suit · leaves · cold · staff

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — in cards
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. staff — employees
  21. cold — an illness
  22. staff — a stick
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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