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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. game — wild animals
  3. firm — steady
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. game — a match
  15. mark — a grade
  16. spell — a short time
  17. hand — help
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. game — a kind of play

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