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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: wake · nail · face · can · pitcher · hide · last · pound

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — to confront
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wake — a trail
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. last — finally
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. last — final
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — to go on
  18. pound — a weight
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. face — part of the head
  21. can — a tin
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. hide — to keep secret

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