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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. present — there
  6. current — electric
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — for money
  16. current — happening now
  17. shower — to wash
  18. current — of water
  19. stock — goods
  20. pitch — completely
  21. shower — rain
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stock — shares
  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