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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 120 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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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: saw · suit · band · kick · pit · bowl · bank · face

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — to confront
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. face — part of the head
  10. band — a music group
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. band — a ring
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. suit — clothes
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — in football

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