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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · leaves · bark · staff · bound · scale · face · degree

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mug — a face
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bound — obliged
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bound — certain
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — employees
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bark — to shout

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