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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · wound · face · bulb · suit · key · present · pitcher

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. key — for a lock
  14. present — there
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. present — a gift
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. present — the time now
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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