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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — boats
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. court — for sport
  11. present — the time now
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — a group
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rest — a break
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. court — of a king
  19. craft — a skill
  20. court — of law
  21. club — for dancing
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pass — a permit
  24. club — for golf

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