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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: temple · cap · pitcher · ground · pass · row · can · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cap — a hat
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ground — the earth
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — a permit
  21. row — a line
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cap — of ice
  24. can — a tin

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