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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. band — a music group
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — to confront
  14. toast — bread
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. mate — a partner
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. face — part of the head
  21. band — a ring
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — hurry
  24. track — to keep track

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