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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. roll — a list
  6. charge — in control
  7. staff — employees
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. craft — boats
  11. mate — to breed
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. track — a song
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — to point toward
  20. track — to keep track
  21. staff — a stick
  22. charge — a price
  23. roll — a cake
  24. craft — a skill

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