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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tear — from crying
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bank — for money
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — for money
  20. land — a country
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — to come down
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitch — completely

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