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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. face — to point toward
  6. drill — the tool
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. face — to confront
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ball — a dance
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. suit — in cards
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — happening now
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. drill — army training

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