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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. face — to point toward
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a grade
  16. face — part of the head
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — a permit
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rock — a stone

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