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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — to handle
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. prune — to trim
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. face — to confront
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pop — soda
  14. pass — a permit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pop — music
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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