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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. last — to go on
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. face — to confront
  6. last — final
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. roll — a list
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — steady
  12. face — part of the head
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rock — a stone
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — the animal

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