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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 120 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: bear · pitch · face · deal · can · coach · shower · land

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. face — to point toward
  3. land — a country
  4. face — part of the head
  5. shower — rain
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. shower — to wash
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — to come down
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bear — the animal
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to confront
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitch — completely
  24. can — a tin

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