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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — a permit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rock — a stone
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mate — to breed
  15. present — there
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rock — music
  18. face — to confront
  19. suit — clothes
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. present — a gift
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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