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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. face — to confront
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pitch — completely
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. court — of law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. club — for golf
  23. mark — a trace
  24. face — part of the head

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