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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cue — a signal
  3. firm — a company
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bound — certain
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. current — of water
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. firm — steady
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. current — happening now

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