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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. face — to point toward
  3. ground — the earth
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. face — part of the head
  8. swing — music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — a measure
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stock — shares
  18. face — to confront
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stock — goods
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. ground — a position

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