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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: rock · march · drill · object · leaves · face · rule · deal

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. drill — the tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. march — music
  7. object — an aim
  8. rule — a law
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. object — to protest
  12. drill — army training
  13. rule — government
  14. drill — a practice
  15. face — to point toward
  16. march — the month
  17. deal — to handle
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. face — to confront
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rule — to rule out

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