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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · bowl · scale · board · face · bank

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bank — for money
  4. chest — of your body
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chest — a box
  10. face — part of the head
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — for money
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. face — to confront
  18. bowl — to roll

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