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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 120 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: wake · ball · pit · racket · face · cabinet · perch · suit

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pit — a hole
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. face — to confront
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — in cards
  15. perch — the fish
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wake — a trail

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