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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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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. capital — a city
  5. charge — electricity
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. face — to confront
  9. charge — in control
  10. lean — thin
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — a permit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — money
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — a price
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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