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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: pitch · bear · ball · rock · fine · chip · field · face

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. field — for sport
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fine — all right
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. face — to point toward
  12. field — farmland
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. face — part of the head
  19. field — a subject
  20. face — to confront
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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