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

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pass — a permit
  6. face — to confront
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. game — a match
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pass — to succeed

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