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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. face — to confront
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitch — completely
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mate — to breed
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mate — a friend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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