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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pitch — completely
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. kid — to tease
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. kid — child

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