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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. last — final
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. last — finally
  15. face — to point toward
  16. last — to go on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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