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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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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: fan · scale · board · bowl · stem · cell · fork · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stem — to come from
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. scale — size or range
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cell — in biology
  14. scale — in music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cell — a phone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fan — a supporter

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