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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. face — part of the head
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. scale — size or range
  7. file — a document
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — there
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to point toward
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kick — in football
  16. file — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — a gift
  23. face — to confront
  24. scale — in music

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