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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mug — a face
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. face — to confront
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. club — a group
  13. squash — the sport
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mug — a cup
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — to rob
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. squash — to crush
  24. kick — in football

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