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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rock — music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — to confront
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rock — a stone

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