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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.

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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: object · mate · stand · snap · nail · rush · pound · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mate — a partner
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. object — an aim
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mate — to breed
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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