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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: plane · bound · clip · foot · scale · safe · suit · rock

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. clip — for paper
  4. scale — in music
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. clip — to cut
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. suit — to fit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. plane — a tool
  20. foot — a measure
  21. clip — a video
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — size or range
  24. plane — in geometry

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