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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.

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: face · spring · ball · ruler · craft · cap · trunk · scale

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. face — to confront
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. face — part of the head
  7. spring — the season
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — in music
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cap — a lid
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ball — a great time
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spring — a coil
  18. craft — boats
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spring — of water

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