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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lean — thin
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. face — to confront
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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