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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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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: shower · face · race · track · suit · fan · firm · pitch

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. face — to point toward
  7. firm — decided
  8. track — a path
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. face — part of the head
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pitch — completely
  16. shower — rain
  17. track — a song
  18. race — a contest
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — humankind

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