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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — soda
  5. face — part of the head
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. face — to point toward
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. face — to confront
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — music
  22. mine — for digging
  23. land — a country
  24. mine — belonging to me

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