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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 124 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lean — thin
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ball — a dance
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — to confront
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. degree — from a university
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. degree — temperature

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