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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 116 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: board · swing · nail · scale · wind · cabinet · ground · lean

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ground — a position
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wind — moving air
  8. board — a committee
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wind — moving air
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ground — the earth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — to get on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lean — thin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. swing — music
  24. lean — to bend

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