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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — a song
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. game — a match
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — in cards
  16. face — to confront
  17. track — to keep track
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. plane — a tool
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. game — wild animals
  24. suit — clothes

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