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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
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: pit · row · drill · bulb · face · fine · net · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. face — to confront
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. row — to paddle
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — high quality
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — part of the head
  16. net — after costs
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — all right
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — in a race
  24. drill — the tool

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