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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: pit · face · scale · lash · bass · cabinet · stick · nail

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. scale — in music
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. face — to point toward
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. scale — size or range
  23. face — to confront
  24. lash — an eyelash

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