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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. band — a ring
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. ball — a great time
  11. firm — steady
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — decided
  16. face — to confront
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wound — an injury
  22. firm — a company
  23. mark — a trace
  24. face — part of the head

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