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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. face — to confront
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rest — a break
  24. temple — a place of worship

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