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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: leaves · face · scale · racket · roll · mine · mate · squash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. scale — in music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. face — to point toward
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. face — to confront
  11. mate — to breed
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. roll — a list
  15. mate — a partner
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — a friend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mine — for digging
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. scale — size or range

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