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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: board · degree · plane · scale · coach · file · mug · season

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. season — of the year
  4. degree — an amount
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. board — a committee
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. file — a document
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. season — in sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mug — a face
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — in music
  20. mug — to rob
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mug — a cup
  24. board — to get on

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