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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.

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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: spell · pit · face · stick · ground · bank · nail · bowl

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bank — for money
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bank — for money
  17. spell — magic
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. ground — crushed
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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