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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
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: scale · face · nail · pitch · cabinet · fine · ground · sharp

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. face — to confront
  4. fine — all right
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. face — to point toward
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pitch — completely
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — high quality

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