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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — decided
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — a company
  7. face — to confront
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rock — music
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. firm — steady

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