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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fall — to drop
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fall — the season
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a hole
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. safe — out of danger

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