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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: toast · face · drill · saw · kid · dip · racket · press

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. press — to push
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to sink
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — to point toward
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. toast — bread
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. kid — child
  17. press — a publisher
  18. drill — army training
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. drill — a practice
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. kid — to tease
  24. face — to confront

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