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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. face — to confront
  5. lean — to bend
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pop — soda
  11. face — to point toward
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — thin
  20. rest — a break
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lean — to rest against

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