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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: content · nail · face · pitch · object · fine · board · pit

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fine — high quality
  7. face — to confront
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fine — all right
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pit — in a race
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. object — a thing
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pitch — completely
  21. board — to get on
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. face — part of the head

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