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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. land — to come down
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. land — ground
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. game — wild animals
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. land — a country
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. game — a match

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