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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: board · ball · squash · stick · mouse · sharp · drill · face

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. board — to get on
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — a practice
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. sharp — clever
  14. drill — army training
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. board — a committee
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — to confront
  19. squash — to crush
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. squash — the sport

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