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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — happening now
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. tube — a container
  7. firm — steady
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — of water
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. kick — in football
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — electric
  18. face — to confront
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. face — to point toward

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