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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: bank · can · fine · face · cue · last · snap · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. face — to confront
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. last — final
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. snap — to click
  9. face — part of the head
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — to be able to
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — high quality

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