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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. tube — a container
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tube — the underground
  5. face — part of the head
  6. march — the month
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. march — the month
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. face — to confront
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stand — to bear
  24. march — music

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