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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wake — a trail
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. craft — boats
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — in a road
  18. snap — to click
  19. cue — for pool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — completely
  24. craft — a skill

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