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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. scale — in music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. face — part of the head

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