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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. drill — army training
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. drill — the tool
  7. club — a group
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. face — part of the head
  12. craft — a skill
  13. club — for dancing
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. club — for golf
  18. drill — a practice
  19. roll — a list
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — hurry

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