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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: charge · calf · drill · deal · net · scale · plane · chest

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. drill — army training
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. drill — a practice
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. net — after costs
  12. scale — in music
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — for catching
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. net — in sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. deal — to handle

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