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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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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: season · pitcher · ruler · face · jam · fine · stick · mate

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — to confront
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fine — high quality
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — a friend
  13. season — in sport
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fine — all right
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. face — to point toward

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