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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 120 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
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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: nail · mine · face · dip · kick · bay · bore · craft

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. face — to confront
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bore — to drill
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. craft — boats
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. kick — in football
  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