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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fine — all right
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. charge — in control
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pitch — completely
  24. face — to point toward

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