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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lean — thin
  5. face — to confront
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bear — the animal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. toast — bread
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wound — an injury

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