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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: bore · scale · jam · pitcher · key · stand · plane · fall

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — the season
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fall — to drop
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fall — to drop
  11. scale — in music
  12. key — in music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stand — to bear
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — a tool
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. key — for a lock

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