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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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468
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: drill · face · pitcher · bass · ruler · safe · bark · roll

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — army training
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. face — to point toward
  7. drill — the tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. roll — a list
  16. face — to confront
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. face — part of the head
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. drill — a practice
  24. safe — out of danger

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