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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: stand · face · dip · ruler · nail · wound · leaves · field

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wound — an injury
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to confront
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. face — part of the head
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. field — for sport
  19. wound — an injury
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stand — on your feet

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