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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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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: club · pass · pit · face · pop · bound · deal · rash

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. face — to confront
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. club — for golf
  9. pit — in a race
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pass — a permit
  15. face — part of the head
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. pit — a hole
  21. club — a group
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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