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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hand — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — to trim
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. face — to confront
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. suit — to fit
  21. drill — army training
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cabinet — ministers

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