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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: tube · jam · kick · pit · face · last · fine · bore

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. last — finally
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pit — a hole
  13. face — to confront
  14. fine — all right
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. last — final
  22. tube — a container
  23. kick — in football
  24. last — to go on

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