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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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 confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rest — a break
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — what's left
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. suit — in cards
  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