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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. roll — a list
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pop — to visit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. face — to confront
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pop — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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