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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. face — to confront
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. suit — clothes
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. face — part of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cap — of ice
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. shower — rain
  21. cap — a hat
  22. face — to point toward
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rock — a stone

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