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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a great time
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. bear — the animal
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — a tool
  18. face — part of the head
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mug — a face
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a round shape

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