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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: plane · roll · scale · wound · toast · bay · season · rush

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wound — an injury
  7. season — in sport
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. roll — a list

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