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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — goods
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. date — the fruit
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — to confront
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. chest — a box
  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