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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — clever
  5. current — of water
  6. march — the month
  7. track — a song
  8. current — happening now
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. current — electric
  12. bore — to tire
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. march — music
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. face — to confront
  21. track — to keep track
  22. plane — a tool
  23. face — to point toward
  24. track — a path

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