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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: drill · face · lie · date · swing · rock · bore · current

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lie — to recline
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. current — happening now
  9. face — part of the head
  10. swing — music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — music
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. face — to confront
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bore — to drill
  24. swing — in golf

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