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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. hand — help
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. face — to confront
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. face — to point toward
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. face — part of the head
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bark — to shout
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. arm — part of the body

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