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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: pass · leaves · rest · field · clip · face · ruler · scale

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. clip — to cut
  3. field — farmland
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. clip — a video
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. field — for sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — a break
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. face — to confront
  23. clip — for paper
  24. face — to point toward

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