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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 116 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
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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: face · pop · firm · mouse · hand · rest · squash · pitch

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pop — to visit
  3. firm — decided
  4. rest — a break
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pop — music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to confront
  17. hand — in cards
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hand — help
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pop — soda
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mouse — 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