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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: tear · rock · mine · squash · suit · ball · scale · plane

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. tear — to rip
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. scale — in music
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. tear — from crying
  16. plane — a tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rock — music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — to fit
  24. plane — an aircraft

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