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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. stand — to bear
  7. band — a music group
  8. cell — in biology
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. court — of a king
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. court — for sport
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. face — to confront
  22. band — a ring
  23. rule — a law
  24. court — of law

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