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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stock — goods
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. last — finally
  5. drill — army training
  6. plane — a tool
  7. drill — the tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. face — to point toward
  16. last — final
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. last — to go on
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. face — to confront
  22. board — to get on
  23. stock — shares
  24. board — a flat piece

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