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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to point toward
  3. drill — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. face — part of the head
  8. snap — to click
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. board — to get on
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. drill — a practice
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. tear — from crying
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. suit — clothes
  20. drill — army training
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. tear — to rip
  24. face — to confront

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