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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 settled on a ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. face — to point toward
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. chest — a box
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. face — part of the head
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pit — in a race
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. face — to confront
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pit — a hole
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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