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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: fine · perch · drill · stand · nail · pound · face · mate

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. face — part of the head
  4. perch — the fish
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. face — to confront
  8. drill — the tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — to point toward
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pound — a weight
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mate — a friend

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