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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. last — final
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — electricity
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. board — to get on
  12. last — finally
  13. pitch — completely
  14. last — to go on
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — in control
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. face — to confront
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a committee
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mug — a face
  24. ball — a dance

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