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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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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 · bay · field · trunk · drill · pass · race · wave

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. drill — the tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. face — part of the head
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — farmland
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. drill — army training
  15. race — a contest
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. race — the arms race
  20. face — to confront
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wave — with your hand

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