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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.

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 · fine · bore · key · prune · march · bass · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fine — all right
  3. bore — to drill
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bass — the fish
  7. face — to confront
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. prune — to trim
  13. face — part of the head
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. march — the month
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fine — high quality

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