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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — a permit
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. chip — for betting
  6. face — part of the head
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — decided
  10. face — to confront
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rush — hurry
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. firm — a company
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. scale — in music
  23. face — to point toward
  24. hide — to keep secret

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