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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: scale · fine · bowl · roll · net · trunk · firm · plane

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. roll — a list
  3. firm — a company
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. net — for catching
  8. firm — decided
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. firm — steady
  11. scale — size or range
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fine — high quality
  17. net — in sport
  18. roll — a cake
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. net — after costs
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. scale — in music
  24. roll — on a roll

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