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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · plane · ball · face · rule · lash · mug · pass

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rule — government
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. face — part of the head

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