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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. pass — a permit
  3. charge — a price
  4. mate — a partner
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — in control
  9. stand — to bear
  10. face — to confront
  11. club — a group
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. face — part of the head
  15. club — for golf
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. club — for dancing
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mate — to breed
  23. firm — a company
  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