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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — to bend
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — of a word
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. face — to point toward
  15. band — a ring
  16. lean — thin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. root — the cause
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. band — a music group

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