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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. current — of water
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. face — to point toward
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. firm — a company
  23. current — electric
  24. face — part of the head

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