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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rush — hurry
  23. face — to confront
  24. safe — out of danger

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