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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — to point toward
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. drill — army training
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. face — part of the head
  13. drill — the tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — a tin

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