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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: bowl · stick · face · mark · pop · fine · shower · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pop — soda
  7. mark — a grade
  8. face — to confront
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pop — music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. suit — in cards
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fine — all right
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. shower — rain

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