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

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bound — certain
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rest — what's left
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. scale — in music
  13. face — to confront
  14. rest — a break
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rest — what's left

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