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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. face — to confront
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — to tire
  5. present — there
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — part of the head
  9. present — the time now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pitch — completely
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. degree — an amount
  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