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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. face — part of the head
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wound — an injury
  16. face — to confront
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — government
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rule — a law

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