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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. face — to point toward
  3. march — the month
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — of water
  9. pass — a permit
  10. face — to confront
  11. march — the month
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. face — part of the head
  14. march — music
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — for spectators

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