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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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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: face · foot · trunk · jam · chip · pit · hide · field

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. face — to point toward
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. chip — for betting
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. field — a subject
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pit — a hole
  21. field — for sport
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. face — part of the head
  24. field — farmland

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