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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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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: shower · face · trunk · jam · suit · foot · pit · can

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. foot — a measure
  4. face — to point toward
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. face — part of the head
  16. shower — to wash
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pit — a hole

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