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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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · fine · hide · object · wound · fall · board · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fall — to drop
  5. object — a thing
  6. fine — all right
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. object — to protest
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — part of the head
  15. object — an aim
  16. face — to confront
  17. board — to get on
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. board — a committee
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — the season
  24. wound — an injury

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