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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — in sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. face — to point toward
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. suit — in cards
  10. scale — in music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. face — to confront
  14. ball — a great time
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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