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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. drill — the tool
  3. scale — in music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — size or range
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to point toward
  11. drill — army training
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. track — a song
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — to push
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — in cards
  19. face — part of the head
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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