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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. face — to confront
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. face — to point toward
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — a partner
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pass — a permit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — a stone
  19. saw — the tool
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. vault — a safe
  23. suit — to fit
  24. face — part of the head

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