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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: rock · pit · track · drill · prune · nail · face · bay

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — in a race
  18. face — to confront
  19. drill — a practice
  20. face — to point toward
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. drill — army training
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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