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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — to confront
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. court — for sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. face — part of the head
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of a king
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pass — a permit
  13. court — of law
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rush — hurry
  19. face — to point toward
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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