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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.

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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: pit · mouse · face · suit · shower · bowl · jam · present

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. shower — to wash
  9. face — to confront
  10. present — a gift
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pit — a hole
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. shower — rain
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — a tight spot

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