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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: spell · face · jam · nail · club · fan · pitch · bay

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. club — for golf
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. club — for dancing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. face — to confront
  14. pitch — completely
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. spell — a short time
  17. face — to point toward
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. club — a group
  24. jam — in traffic

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