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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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 — for weighing
  3. fine — high quality
  4. face — to confront
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. scale — in music
  7. fine — all right
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. scale — size or range
  11. club — for golf
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. branch — a division
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stem — to come from
  24. club — for dancing

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