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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. face — to confront
  6. rash — hasty
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rash — a series
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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