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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. scale — in music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to confront
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. march — the month
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fall — the season
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. march — music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. scale — size or range
  24. march — the month

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