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

Word bank: key · fork · prune · stand · calf · pass · mate · face

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — in music
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. face — part of the head
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. face — to confront
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — a friend
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mate — a partner

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