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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.

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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: stand · snap · pass · coach · squash · plane · scale · capital

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. scale — size or range
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. squash — the sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. capital — money
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. capital — a city
  21. squash — to crush
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — the vegetable

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