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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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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: fine · snap · arm · root · plane · scale

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. root — of a word
  11. snap — to click
  12. fine — all right
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — in music
  18. 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