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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — in cards
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lean — thin
  12. race — a contest
  13. face — to confront
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. race — humankind
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wind — moving air

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