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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 120 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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — army training
  4. degree — from a university
  5. board — to get on
  6. degree — temperature
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — to confront
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. degree — an amount
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — part of the head
  23. drill — a practice
  24. foot — the bottom

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