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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — part of the head
  10. firm — steady
  11. swing — to play on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. face — to point toward
  14. drill — a practice
  15. can — to be able to
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. drill — the tool
  19. tear — from crying
  20. drill — army training
  21. firm — a company
  22. tear — to rip
  23. face — to confront
  24. mark — a trace

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