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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. foot — a measure
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rash — hasty
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pass — a permit
  17. face — to confront
  18. date — the fruit

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