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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. face — to confront
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — to point toward
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lean — thin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — a break
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lean — to rest against

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