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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · rock · wave · ruler · club · face

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. face — to confront
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. face — to point toward
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — part of the head
  16. rock — music
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand

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