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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: pitch · nail · bay · band · season · face · saw · bore

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. season — in sport
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. band — a music group
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitch — completely
  8. face — to confront
  9. season — of the year
  10. band — a ring
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to drill
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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