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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · prune · hide · drill · straw · face

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. face — to point toward
  4. dip — to sink
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — army training
  7. prune — to trim
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. drill — a practice
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — the tool

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