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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stand — to bear
  9. face — to point toward
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitch — completely
  17. face — part of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. stock — shares
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. stock — goods
  24. mark — a trace

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