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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · pitcher · racket · plane · rash · bay · wave · hide

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. scale — size or range
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. scale — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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