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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: last · nail · face · pit · bowl · bank · bat · mug

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. last — finally
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mug — a face
  7. bank — for money
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — in a race
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bank — of a river
  16. last — to go on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. last — final

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