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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. lean — thin
  3. ground — a position
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pitch — completely
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lean — to bend
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — to confront
  13. file — a line of people
  14. face — part of the head
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ground — the earth
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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