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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bound — tied together
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. drill — army training
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. drill — the tool
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bound — certain
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — part of the head
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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