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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. firm — steady
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bound — tied together
  10. face — to point toward
  11. key — in music
  12. firm — a company
  13. key — for a lock
  14. kick — in football
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bound — certain
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — to shout
  22. key — the most important part
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bark — of a tree

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