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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. drill — a practice
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. last — to go on
  6. craft — a skill
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — music
  9. last — finally
  10. bore — to drill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rock — a stone
  16. craft — boats
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. last — final
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. drill — army training
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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