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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — the season
  5. last — finally
  6. face — to confront
  7. spring — of water
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wake — a trail
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. last — final
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — steady
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to point toward
  24. firm — decided

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