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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 · firm · mug · kick · tear · face

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kick — in football
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mug — to rob
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. firm — decided
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — a company
  11. face — to confront
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mug — a face
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — steady
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mug — a cup

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