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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. cold — an illness
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cold — not warm
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. face — to confront
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pass — a permit

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