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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: temple · pitcher · plane · net · scale · saw

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. scale — in music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. net — for catching
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. net — after costs
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. saw — the tool
  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