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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — to get on
  5. rock — music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. face — to confront
  9. scale — in music
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bass — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bass — low music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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