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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. net — after costs
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — the cause
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pound — a weight
  11. face — to confront
  12. net — in sport
  13. root — of a word
  14. net — for catching
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lean — thin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. face — to point toward

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