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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. can — a tin
  12. face — to confront
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pass — a permit
  17. face — to point toward
  18. plane — a tool
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — the animal

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