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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.

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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: mouse · face · lie · can · racket · tear · ground · pitch

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pitch — completely
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tear — to rip
  10. ground — crushed
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — part of the head
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — to recline

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