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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.

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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
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 · arm · drill · fan · march · ruler · mark · bore

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — a grade
  10. face — to point toward
  11. march — music
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. drill — army training
  18. face — part of the head
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — a trace
  21. face — to confront
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bore — to drill
  24. drill — a practice

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