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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. net — after costs
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. saw — the tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. scale — in music
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. net — for catching
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — in sport
  15. stand — to bear
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. prune — to trim
  22. saw — the tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — size or range

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