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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — for catching
  9. kick — in football
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. net — in sport
  13. ball — a dance
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. net — after costs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pass — a permit

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