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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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