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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. prune — to trim
  4. face — to point toward
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to confront
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. drill — army training
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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