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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: suit · face · object · lash · nail · game · pitch · bore

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — clothes
  8. game — a match
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — wild animals
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bore — to drill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. suit — to fit
  20. object — a thing
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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