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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · clip · ruler · face · coach · drill · bore · net

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — after costs
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. clip — a video
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bore — to drill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. net — in sport
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. net — for catching

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