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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 · track · tube · firm · face · drill · bat · ruler

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. firm — decided
  7. track — to keep track
  8. drill — the tool
  9. face — to confront
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — steady
  12. bat — the animal
  13. drill — army training
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pit — in a race
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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