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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — a weight
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. face — to point toward
  7. scale — in music
  8. face — to confront
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rest — a break
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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