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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.

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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: face · rule · track · chair · shower · nail · suit · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — a song
  4. chair — a leader
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rule — a law
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rule — government
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ball — a dance

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