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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: bass · stand · nail · toast · game · mug · face · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. game — wild animals
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. game — a match
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — letters
  10. mug — to rob
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stand — to bear
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mug — a face
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bass — low music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. spell — magic

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