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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: can · pop · face · mark · leaves · scale · ground · cue

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ground — a position
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pop — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. scale — in music
  10. face — to point toward
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. face — part of the head
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. face — to confront
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — soda
  23. can — a tin
  24. pop — to visit

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