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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. march — music
  3. face — to point toward
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. face — part of the head
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — clothes
  10. face — to confront
  11. march — the month
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bat — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. march — the month
  24. rush — to hurry

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