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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rule — government
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. game — wild animals
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. face — to confront
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rush — hurry
  22. game — a match
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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