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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 116 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: face · lie · scale · cue · row · season · nail · staff

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cue — a signal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — employees
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — of the year
  15. row — a line
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — in music
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cue — a hint
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. season — in sport
  24. face — to point toward

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