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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 116 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 · board · lean · bass · wound · kick · stand · face

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — to bear
  6. board — to get on
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. wound — an injury
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lean — thin
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stand — for spectators

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