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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. season — of the year
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to point toward
  10. band — a ring
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. season — in sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — a signal
  16. face — to confront
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chest — a box
  19. band — a music group
  20. firm — steady
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. face — part of the head

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