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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. toast — bread
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pound — a weight
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. face — to confront
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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