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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kick — in football
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. face — to confront
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. sharp — clever
  13. face — to point toward
  14. ball — a great time
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — of the year
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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