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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: foot · spell · saw · face · pit · firm · stick · rush

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — steady
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. foot — a measure
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. spell — magic
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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