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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. face — to point toward

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