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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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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 · chair · root · nail · face · drill · swing · track

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. root — the cause
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. swing — music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. face — to point toward
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. drill — army training
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chair — a leader
  19. swing — to play on
  20. track — a path
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. drill — a practice
  24. chair — a professorship

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