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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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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. face — part of the head
  7. object — a thing
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. object — an aim
  14. face — to confront
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. kick — in football
  19. face — to point toward
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. object — to protest
  24. foot — the bottom

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