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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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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: object · file · bay · pop · drill · lie · face · pass

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a document
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. face — to confront
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — an aim
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. lie — to recline
  17. object — to protest
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pop — to visit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. drill — army training
  22. pop — music
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pop — soda

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