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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — low music
  10. lean — thin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. face — part of the head
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bass — the fish
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pitch — completely

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