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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pass — a permit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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