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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. press — to push
  6. face — part of the head
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. press — newspapers
  15. saw — the tool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. face — to confront
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pass — a permit
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. trunk — of a car

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