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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — a hole
  6. band — a music group
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. face — part of the head
  11. band — a ring
  12. face — to confront
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cold — not warm
  19. season — in sport
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. season — of the year

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