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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cue — a hint
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cue — a signal
  7. land — a country
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. face — to confront
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — ground
  14. lie — to recline
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. land — to come down
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — in a road

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