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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
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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: stick · ball · last · suit · drill · face · stock · file

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. face — part of the head
  3. drill — army training
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. last — finally
  8. ball — a great time
  9. last — to go on
  10. stock — shares
  11. ball — a dance
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — goods
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. suit — to fit
  18. drill — a practice
  19. face — to point toward
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — final
  24. drill — the tool

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