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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pass — a permit
  4. net — after costs
  5. pitch — completely
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — a stick
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. net — for catching
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — clothes
  14. face — to point toward
  15. band — a music group
  16. net — in sport
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. band — a ring
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bear — the animal

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