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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: racket · bowl · pass · present · bound · rest · face · nail

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. present — there
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rest — a break
  11. face — to point toward
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. present — the time now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pass — to succeed

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