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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rock — a stone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rest — what's left
  17. firm — steady
  18. face — to confront
  19. rock — music
  20. firm — a company
  21. rest — a break
  22. roll — a list
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rock — to move gently

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