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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bass · ground · track · toast · firm · face · drill · fork

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. drill — the tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. bass — the fish
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ground — a position
  8. face — to confront
  9. ground — the earth
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. face — part of the head
  16. toast — bread
  17. track — a song
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bass — low music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. drill — army training

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