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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: plane · face · scale · board · calf · nail · drill · wound

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wound — an injury
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. plane — a tool
  7. scale — size or range
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. scale — in music
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. drill — a practice
  13. board — a committee
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — an aircraft

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