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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · suit · bay · present · bore · cold · pass · face

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cold — an illness
  4. present — there
  5. face — to confront
  6. suit — clothes
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — a gift
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. present — the time now
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. face — to point toward

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