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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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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: stick · object · drill · face · bay · tube · stock · pass

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — an aim
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — a thing
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. object — to protest
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — part of the head
  9. drill — a practice
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. face — to point toward
  19. tube — a container
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pass — a permit
  24. face — to confront

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