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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: scale · squash · ground · key · plane · pit · mug · row

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ground — the earth
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. squash — to crush
  13. key — the most important part
  14. plane — a tool
  15. key — in music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mug — a face
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mug — a cup
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ground — a position
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mug — to rob

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