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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · date · last · tube · face · hide · board · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. face — part of the head
  4. date — the fruit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. last — final
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — to point toward
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. last — finally
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. object — to protest
  18. pit — a hole
  19. last — to go on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. object — an aim
  23. board — to get on
  24. tube — a container

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