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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · board · net · face · wave · mug · drill · rest

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. tube — a container
  3. rest — what's left
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mug — to rob
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. board — a committee
  16. mug — a face
  17. face — to confront
  18. net — after costs
  19. board — to get on
  20. mug — a cup
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. tube — the underground

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