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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — to confront
  3. rest — a break
  4. spell — magic
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. current — electric
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — of water
  10. shower — rain
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rest — what's left
  13. current — happening now
  14. face — part of the head
  15. firm — decided
  16. shower — to wash
  17. present — there
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — a short time
  20. present — a gift
  21. spell — letters
  22. present — the time now
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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