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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · fan · field · pit · cue · pitch · face · ball

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. face — part of the head
  3. content — the amount
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a great time
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. field — farmland
  14. pit — a hole
  15. field — a subject
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. field — for sport
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. face — to confront
  24. content — happy

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