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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — thin
  4. mark — a grade
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. face — to confront
  12. mark — a trace
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rock — music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rush — hurry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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