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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rule — a law
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. present — the time now
  8. face — part of the head
  9. board — a committee
  10. cap — of ice
  11. present — there
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — a gift
  15. pitch — completely
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rule — government
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. board — to get on

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