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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 120 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: face · band · hide · mark · suit · pitcher · pit · board

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. board — to get on
  3. band — a music group
  4. mark — a trace
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pit — in a race
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a committee
  16. band — a ring
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — to fit

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