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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: bay · plane · rock · foot · bark · scale · club · toast

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — a tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bark — to shout
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — bread
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. club — a group

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