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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. face — part of the head
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. snap — to click
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pitch — a sports field

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