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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. face — to confront
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. face — part of the head
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hand — help
  24. calf — a young animal

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