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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. shower — rain
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ball — a dance
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ball — a great time
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pit — in a race

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