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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. degree — from a university
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a song
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. track — to keep track
  8. face — to point toward
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. degree — an amount
  11. face — to confront
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a path
  15. tube — a container
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. deal — to handle

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