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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. face — to point toward
  6. can — to be able to
  7. face — to confront
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a hole
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chest — of your body
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — a tin
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chest — a box
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chest — of your body

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