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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. wake — a trail
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ground — the earth
  15. spell — a short time
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — in music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — a position
  21. spell — magic
  22. board — to get on
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ruler — for measuring

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