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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.

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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.

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: spring · face · ruler · craft · scale · capital · bark · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. capital — money
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. spring — the season
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bark — to shout
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. scale — in music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. fall — to drop
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. craft — boats
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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