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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. face — part of the head
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. face — to confront
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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