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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. face — to point toward
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rock — a stone
  7. snap — to click
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. face — part of the head
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bound — obliged
  15. firm — steady
  16. bound — certain
  17. firm — decided
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — music
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cap — a hat
  22. firm — a company
  23. suit — in cards
  24. face — to confront

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