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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: fall · face · bark · nail · dip · bay · net · stand

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. face — to confront
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fall — the season
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. net — for catching
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. face — part of the head
  17. net — after costs
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. net — in sport
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bark — to shout

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