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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — in control
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — a measure
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rest — what's left
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. charge — a price
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to click

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