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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: bore · face · lean · scale · staff · rush · dip · bark

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. face — part of the head
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. face — to confront
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — to drill
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. scale — size or range
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. face — to point toward
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lean — thin

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