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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — to point toward
  8. spell — letters
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. spell — a short time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. pound — a weight
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. face — to confront
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. spell — magic
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mouse — for a computer

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