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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: plane · safe · key · cap · drill · face · stock · scale

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stock — goods
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. scale — in music
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. face — to confront
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — size or range
  24. face — part of the head

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