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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: fan · bear · pass · mine · face · present · suit · tear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — a gift
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. tear — to rip
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. face — to point toward
  15. present — the time now
  16. face — to confront
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. present — there
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. suit — clothes

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