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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: face · can · stock · drill · dip · wake · track · board

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. track — a song
  3. board — to get on
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stock — shares
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. face — to confront
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. drill — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — a practice
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. drill — army training
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. can — to be able to
  22. track — a path
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stock — goods

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