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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. drill — army training
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. drill — a practice
  9. face — to confront
  10. branch — a division
  11. game — wild animals
  12. firm — decided
  13. present — the time now
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to click
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. firm — a company
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. firm — steady
  23. game — a match
  24. branch — of a bank

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