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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 120 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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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 sports field
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — clothes
  5. race — humankind
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. race — a contest
  12. mug — a face
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — part of the head
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mug — a cup
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. face — to confront

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