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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: stick · mate · band · fan · cell · pitcher · face · track

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. band — a music group
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cell — in biology
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. track — a song
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mate — a partner
  21. track — a path
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. band — a ring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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