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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: face · pitch · jam · fork · leaves · racket · shower · mug

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. shower — rain
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mug — a face
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — to confront
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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