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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rock — music
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rock — a stone
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. face — to point toward
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chair — a leader
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kid — child
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kid — to tease
  24. face — to confront

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