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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: face · pop · last · track · stand · pit · ruler · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pop — to visit
  5. last — finally
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. track — a path
  10. pop — soda
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pit — a hole
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pop — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. track — a song
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pit — in a race
  21. last — to go on
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. last — final

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