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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.

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: lash · fall · saw · fine · face · scale · current · swing

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. current — electric
  3. face — to confront
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. scale — in music
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. swing — in golf
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fall — the season
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. swing — music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. current — of water
  21. swing — to play on
  22. current — happening now
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fine — high quality

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