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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wind — moving air
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. face — to point toward
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — to confront
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. snap — to click

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