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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: chip · trunk · pop · nail · season · pit · face · stand

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pit — a hole
  5. season — in sport
  6. face — part of the head
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — for betting
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pop — soda
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chip — to eat
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. season — of the year
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. face — to confront
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — music

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