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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ground — a position
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bound — obliged
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bound — certain
  15. ground — crushed
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. face — to point toward
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bound — tied together
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a dance

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