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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — to point toward
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. face — to confront
  11. lie — to recline
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — a thing
  16. rock — music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. shower — rain
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — in a race

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