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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
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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: rash · season · face · mine · ruler · ground · pit · bear

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rash — a series
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pit — in a race
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bear — to put up with

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