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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. face — to point toward
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. face — to confront
  7. pound — a weight
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. object — a thing
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mark — a trace
  12. scale — size or range
  13. object — to protest
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. scale — in music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fork — a garden tool

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