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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fall — to drop
  3. kid — to tease
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitch — completely
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chip — to eat
  16. kid — child
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to confront
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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