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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — to recline
  5. club — for golf
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pit — a hole
  16. club — a group
  17. bore — to drill
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. face — part of the head
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bank — of a river

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