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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. drill — the tool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. face — to point toward
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. drill — army training
  10. net — in sport
  11. wake — a trail
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. kick — in football
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. net — for catching
  19. foot — a measure
  20. drill — a practice
  21. net — after costs
  22. face — to confront
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pound — to hit hard

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