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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
468
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 · ball · pitch · kick · leaves · file · squash · firm

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. squash — the sport
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. firm — a company
  13. face — to point toward
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. file — a line of people
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a dance

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