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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: can · ruler · scale · face · fall · bay · season · fork

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — to point toward
  5. season — in sport
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — of the year
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — the season
  19. scale — in music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. face — part of the head
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. face — to confront

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