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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. drill — army training
  3. cold — not warm
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. drill — a practice
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. drill — the tool
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bound — certain
  16. face — to confront
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rock — music
  24. pit — in a race

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