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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: mouse · pit · band · racket · arm · hide · face · can

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. band — a music group
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a ring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. face — part of the head
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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