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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. march — the month
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — happening now
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pass — a permit
  10. dip — to sink
  11. current — of water
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. march — the month
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. march — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. current — electric
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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