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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — to confront
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stock — goods
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. board — a committee
  12. stock — shares
  13. pound — a weight
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fall — to drop

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