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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: pitcher · rush · cell · wake · face · firm · row · ball

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. face — to point toward
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. row — a line
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. row — to paddle
  19. firm — decided
  20. wake — a trail
  21. firm — steady
  22. cell — a phone
  23. face — to confront
  24. firm — a company

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