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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — steady
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. face — to point toward
  8. root — of a word
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — a company
  11. date — the fruit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — to confront
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — clothes
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bat — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. root — the cause
  22. can — a tin
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bat — for baseball

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