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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: clip · chip · face · scale · roll · pitcher · lie · board

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. chip — to eat
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chip — for betting
  6. face — to confront
  7. clip — to cut
  8. face — part of the head
  9. roll — a list
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — to get on
  13. clip — for paper
  14. scale — in music
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. board — a committee
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. clip — a video
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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