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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. vault — a safe
  5. face — to confront
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. staff — employees
  12. shower — rain
  13. can — a tin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — to point toward
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pass — a permit
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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