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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. game — wild animals
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — to confront
  7. game — a match
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ruler — for measuring

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