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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: face · file · saw · ruler · pitch · firm · bowl · spring

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a line of people
  3. face — to confront
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. file — a tool
  8. face — to point toward
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. file — a document
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitch — completely
  17. spring — the season
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spring — a coil
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. spring — of water
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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