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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: land · key · face · cue · arm · cap · foot · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. land — to come down
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. land — a country
  6. key — for a lock
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — ground
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. face — part of the head
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cap — a lid
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cue — a hint
  23. face — to confront
  24. foot — a measure

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