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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — steady
  9. court — of a king
  10. dip — to sink
  11. firm — decided
  12. fine — all right
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitch — completely
  15. firm — a company
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. court — for sport
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. court — of law

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