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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: face · kick · drill · bay · jam · pop · branch · fork

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. face — to confront
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. kick — in football
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to point toward
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. drill — army training
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pop — music
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. branch — a division
  24. fork — in a road

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