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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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. squash — to crush
  4. lean — to bend
  5. face — part of the head
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. face — to point toward
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. squash — the sport
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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