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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. face — to confront
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. face — to point toward
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. snap — to click
  21. wake — a trail
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rest — a break

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