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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. face — to confront
  3. mug — a face
  4. last — finally
  5. ground — crushed
  6. can — to be able to
  7. drill — a practice
  8. can — a tin
  9. last — final
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. face — to point toward
  13. drill — army training
  14. last — to go on
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ground — a position
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pass — to succeed

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