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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. face — part of the head
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to confront
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rush — hurry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — a gift
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. present — the time now
  20. ground — a position
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ground — the earth
  23. face — to point toward
  24. safe — a strongbox

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