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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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468
Word bank
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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. kick — in football
  17. pass — a permit
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fall — the season
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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