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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. kick — in football
  4. face — to confront
  5. pitch — completely
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. track — a song
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. march — the month
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. file — a line of people
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. mate — a partner

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