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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · charge · coach · stem · mug · season · plane · net

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — in control
  4. scale — size or range
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. season — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mug — a cup
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. net — for catching
  17. charge — a price
  18. season — of the year
  19. mug — a face
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stem — to come from

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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