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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
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: plane · stand · squash · clip · bear · nail · scale · key

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. clip — a video
  7. key — the most important part
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. clip — for paper
  14. key — for a lock
  15. clip — to cut
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. key — in music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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