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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. date — the fruit
  4. staff — a stick
  5. face — to confront
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. can — a tin
  9. bat — the animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. object — a thing
  19. mine — for digging
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. face — to point toward

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