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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wind — moving air
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — a company
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. face — part of the head
  12. present — a gift
  13. firm — decided
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — the time now
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — to drill
  19. face — to confront
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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