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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.

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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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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: bay · pit · foot · bark · face · leaves · tear · scale

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. scale — size or range
  3. tear — from crying
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bark — to shout
  9. foot — a measure
  10. scale — in music
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. face — to confront
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. face — to point toward
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pit — a hole

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