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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. face — to point toward
  9. charge — in control
  10. fall — to drop
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. face — to confront
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — a price
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mouse — the animal

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