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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. current — of water
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. current — electric
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — happening now
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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