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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — of a river
  5. face — to confront
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — to breed
  8. field — for sport
  9. face — to point toward
  10. field — a subject
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. field — farmland
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — part of the head
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bank — for money

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