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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — to confront
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. roll — a list
  9. face — to point toward
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pop — music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ball — a great time
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wave — with your hand
  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