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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.

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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. face — to confront
  4. bark — to shout
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. dip — to sink
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wind — moving air
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. firm — steady
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — decided
  24. safe — a strongbox

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