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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: mark · cap · drill · face · foot · pound · branch · safe

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mark — a grade
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — of ice
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — a hat
  16. branch — a division
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. face — to confront
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. drill — a practice
  24. face — to point toward

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