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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: mouse · fall · suit · pitch · plane · squash · band · face

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. face — to confront
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — clothes
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. suit — in cards
  12. band — a ring
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. face — to point toward
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fall — the season
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — to fit
  24. band — a music group

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