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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 124 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pit — in a race
  5. track — a path
  6. firm — a company
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — to wash
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. face — to point toward
  13. track — a song
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pit — a hole
  16. shower — rain
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — decided

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