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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — wild animals
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. face — to confront
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. firm — a company
  11. press — to push
  12. firm — decided
  13. press — newspapers
  14. game — a match
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — a publisher
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. firm — steady

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