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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. can — to be able to
  3. object — to protest
  4. face — to point toward
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. land — to come down
  7. can — a tin
  8. object — a thing
  9. pitch — completely
  10. face — to confront
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — part of the head
  15. land — ground
  16. craft — a skill
  17. land — a country
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. kick — in football
  20. craft — boats
  21. object — an aim
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kick — a thrill

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