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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · pit · wound · object · roll · bowl · charge · rash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. face — to confront
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — a series
  5. object — to protest
  6. pit — in a race
  7. charge — electricity
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — an aim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — in control
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — a hole
  18. face — to point toward
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. roll — a list

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