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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.

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: face · roll · scale · bark · current · ruler · swing · bowl

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. swing — in golf
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. current — of water
  12. swing — to play on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — in music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. current — electric
  17. face — to confront
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a list

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