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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. current — electric
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. current — of water
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a trace
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. current — happening now
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. straw — dry grass

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