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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. rock — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. scale — size or range
  10. file — a tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rock — a stone
  16. vault — a safe
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fall — the season
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. face — to point toward

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