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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. face — part of the head
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. roll — a list
  15. face — to confront
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. face — to point toward
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. roll — a cake

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