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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 124 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 · mate · object · dip · track · jam · wave · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. dip — to sink
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mate — a partner
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mate — a friend
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. object — a thing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. track — a song

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