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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: face · land · sharp · arm · drill · pass · dip · coach

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. land — ground
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. land — a country
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. land — to come down
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. sharp — clever
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — a practice
  13. face — to confront
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. drill — army training
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. face — part of the head
  24. arm — a part of something

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