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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. face — to confront
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — to point toward
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. branch — a division
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. season — of the year
  24. suit — clothes

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