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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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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: drill · current · present · pound · branch · bay · face · plane

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — a division
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. current — happening now
  9. drill — army training
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. plane — a tool
  13. current — of water
  14. present — a gift
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. drill — the tool
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pound — a weight
  21. face — to point toward
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — a horse colour

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