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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bore — to tire
  4. drill — army training
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. face — to confront
  12. key — in music
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. firm — decided
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wind — to turn a key

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