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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · pit · arm · foot · scale · face · prune · board

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. board — to get on
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pit — a hole
  10. prune — to trim
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pit — in a race
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. face — part of the head

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