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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: nail · jam · stand · face · sharp · wave · land · pit

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — a country
  3. pit — in a race
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. land — to come down
  9. stand — to bear
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. face — to point toward
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. sharp — clever
  23. land — ground
  24. face — to confront

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