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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. face — to confront
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitch — completely
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rock — music

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