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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · can · mine · bear · wave · pitch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. can — a tin
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — to be able to
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitch — a sports field

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