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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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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: face · lie · suit · coach · pit · fork · race · board

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. race — the arms race
  4. face — to point toward
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — a contest
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lie — to recline
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. suit — in cards
  19. board — a committee
  20. race — humankind
  21. fork — in a road
  22. board — to get on
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. face — part of the head

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