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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pit — in a race
  9. file — a line of people
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — to fit
  12. staff — a stick
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mark — a trace
  22. staff — employees
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bowl — a football final

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