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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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 — to confront
  2. pass — a permit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — to get on
  6. firm — a company
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. firm — steady
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. race — a contest
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. race — humankind
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. scale — in music
  21. firm — decided
  22. board — a committee
  23. face — part of the head
  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