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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: fan · face · craft · scale · ground · board · pass · pitch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. ground — the earth
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — a committee
  8. ground — crushed
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ground — a position
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. craft — boats
  17. pass — a permit
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a skill
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. board — to get on

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