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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: court · fine · craft · suit · pitch · tube · rush · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rush — hurry
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tube — a container
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — of a king
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. suit — clothes
  15. craft — boats
  16. court — of law
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — for sport
  20. pitch — completely
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — a skill
  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