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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. staff — a stick
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mate — to breed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a partner
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward

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