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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — in a race
  4. craft — boats
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — steady
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. firm — decided
  11. toast — bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. face — to point toward
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pit — a hole
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. firm — a company
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — to confront
  24. pass — a permit

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