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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.

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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: pop · pit · mark · drill · tube · face · staff · mouse

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. face — part of the head
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. pit — in a race
  11. face — to confront
  12. tube — a container
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pop — to visit
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pop — soda
  23. drill — the tool
  24. tube — the underground

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