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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. spell — magic
  7. rash — a series
  8. face — to confront
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. court — for sport
  11. rash — hasty
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. face — part of the head
  16. staff — a stick
  17. court — of a king
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. shower — rain
  23. spell — letters
  24. mouse — for a computer

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