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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — in cards
  10. game — a match
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mug — a cup
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mug — a face
  16. suit — clothes
  17. game — wild animals
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. face — part of the head

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