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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.

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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: suit · pass · leaves · board · lean · cap · chest · season

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. season — of the year
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lean — to bend
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. board — a committee
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chest — of your body
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chest — a box
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cap — a lid
  21. season — in sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. board — to get on
  24. leaves — of a tree

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