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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. face — to point toward
  3. capital — money
  4. face — to confront
  5. key — in music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. tube — a container
  13. face — part of the head
  14. key — the most important part
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. key — for a lock
  18. tube — the underground
  19. capital — a city
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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