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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
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: cap · drill · fine · face · object · roll · chip · row

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. roll — a list
  4. cap — a hat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. drill — the tool
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — an aim
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — all right
  11. face — part of the head
  12. fine — high quality
  13. drill — army training
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to confront
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. face — to point toward
  18. row — a line
  19. cap — a lid
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. chip — to eat
  22. object — to protest
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chip — in a computer

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