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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pass — a permit
  3. craft — boats
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fine — all right
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — government
  13. rock — a stone
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rock — music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rest — a break
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. face — to confront
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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