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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. track — a path
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mate — to breed
  5. game — a match
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — to point toward
  17. track — to keep track
  18. game — a kind of play

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