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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. prune — to trim
  11. net — for catching
  12. face — to point toward
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. mine — for digging
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. face — to confront
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a document
  20. pass — a permit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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