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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — a trail
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — goods
  9. face — to point toward
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — army training
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pass — a permit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stock — shares
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. last — to go on
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wake — before a funeral

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