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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.

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: suit · chest · stick · pitcher · face · racket · track · board

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. face — part of the head
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. board — a committee
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. face — to confront
  13. chest — a box
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. track — a path
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. face — to point toward

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