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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: mark · scale · firm · bass · plane · craft · fork · snap

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. craft — a skill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — in a road
  5. scale — size or range
  6. snap — to click
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. scale — in music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. firm — a company
  21. craft — boats
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. plane — a tool

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