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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. hand — help
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. staff — employees
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — for a lock
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. face — to confront
  23. wake — a trail
  24. staff — a stick

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