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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: present · face · rest · trunk · deal · net · roll · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. face — to confront
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — for catching
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. face — part of the head
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — a break
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — in sport
  18. roll — a list
  19. present — there
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. face — to point toward
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. net — after costs
  24. roll — a cake

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