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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 116 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: squash · face · nail · suit · tube · fine · fall · wake

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. face — to point toward
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wake — a trail
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fall — the season
  10. suit — to fit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fall — to drop
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — the sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fine — all right
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — to crush

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