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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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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. rule — government
  4. toast — bread
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rash — hasty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rule — a law
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. face — to confront
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer

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