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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
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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: press · pitch · spell · scale · wake · rash · face · bowl

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rash — a series
  4. press — to push
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — newspapers
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. spell — magic
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — to confront
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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