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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pop — music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. swing — music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. game — a match
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. face — part of the head
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pop — soda
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. swing — in golf
  22. face — to confront
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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