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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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Word bank
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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: net · face · pass · wind · object · mark · mouse · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. object — to protest
  3. pop — music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. net — for catching
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. object — an aim
  12. pop — soda
  13. pass — a permit
  14. face — to confront
  15. net — in sport
  16. object — a thing
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. net — after costs
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pass — to succeed
  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