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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: nail · face · bass · stand · object · mate · rock · bark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mate — to breed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — to protest
  13. face — part of the head
  14. object — a thing
  15. bass — low music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mate — a friend

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