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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. drill — army training
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. clip — a video
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. face — to point toward
  12. clip — for paper
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. face — to confront
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. clip — to cut
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. snap — to click
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — a practice

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