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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: scale · mouse · pitch · snap · face · track · fan · squash

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. squash — the sport
  4. track — a song
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. face — part of the head
  14. scale — in music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pitch — completely
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. snap — to click
  22. track — to keep track
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fan — a supporter

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