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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hand — in cards
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spring — the season
  10. foot — a measure
  11. face — part of the head
  12. root — of a word
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. hand — help
  17. pass — a permit
  18. root — of a plant
  19. face — to confront
  20. spring — a coil
  21. face — to point toward
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — of water
  24. root — the cause

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