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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mark — a trace
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bark — to shout
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. face — to confront
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mark — a grade
  24. scale — size or range

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