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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. face — part of the head
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. face — to confront
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. date — the fruit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mark — a trace
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitch — completely
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rock — music

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