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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: spring · coach · net · arm · suit · scale · plane · fall

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — in sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spring — the season
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. net — for catching
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — size or range
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spring — a coil
  22. net — after costs
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fall — to drop

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