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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: pit · pitcher · face · hide · object · bore · suit · roll

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — a hole
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. object — to protest
  16. suit — clothes
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bore — to drill
  19. face — to confront
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. roll — a list
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bore — to tire

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