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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — a law
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pass — a permit
  15. row — a line
  16. face — to point toward
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. drill — a practice
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. face — to confront
  22. drill — army training
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — government

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