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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pass — a permit
  3. date — the fruit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — thin
  8. face — to point toward
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. prune — to trim
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. press — to push
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. face — to confront
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — to bend

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