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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — completely
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. object — to protest
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cue — a hint

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