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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pop — to visit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cap — of ice
  12. firm — steady
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pop — music
  15. firm — decided
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — a company
  23. pop — soda
  24. racket — a loud noise

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