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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.

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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: hide · fan · game · rule · fine · pitch · face · mug

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. face — to confront
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. fine — high quality
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — a match
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rule — a law
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — part of the head
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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