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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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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: hide · face · present · rock · object · racket · pitch · bark

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — to point toward
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. face — to confront
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — to shout
  19. present — a gift
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. object — to protest
  22. pitch — completely
  23. present — there
  24. face — part of the head

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