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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: craft · face · foot · pit · pass · cap · bay · pitcher

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — boats
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pit — in a race
  20. craft — a skill
  21. face — part of the head
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — a permit
  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