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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. file — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spring — a coil
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. face — to confront
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. dip — to sink
  11. spring — of water
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spring — the season
  14. present — the time now
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — there
  17. face — part of the head
  18. file — a document
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. file — a line of people
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. present — a gift
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stand — to bear

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