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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fall — the season
  3. face — to confront
  4. fall — to drop
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — part of the head
  8. branch — a division
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. face — to point toward
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality

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