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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. firm — steady
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cold — not warm
  6. firm — a company
  7. wound — an injury
  8. season — in sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. face — to confront
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. face — part of the head
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pass — a permit
  22. season — of the year
  23. cold — an illness
  24. pass — to spend time

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