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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. firm — a company
  3. fall — the season
  4. face — part of the head
  5. mug — a face
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — to drop
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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