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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. face — to point toward
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. face — to confront
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. saw — the tool
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. chair — a leader
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chair — to sit on

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