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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.

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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: sharp · scale · trunk · pass · face · coach · roll · cue

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cue — a hint
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. roll — a list
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pass — a permit
  9. sharp — clever
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. scale — size or range
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — in music
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. face — to point toward

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