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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
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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: hide · plane · scale · row · object · mark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. row — a line
  12. object — to protest
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. plane — a tool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. row — to paddle
  18. object — a thing

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