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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. drill — a practice
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mark — a grade
  11. drill — army training
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. spring — a coil
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fine — all right
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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