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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.

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: last · face · suit · pass · track · hide · fan · pitcher

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — finally
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — to confront
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — to go on
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a song
  24. last — final

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