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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · saw · mouse · plane · wake · bore · rock · scale

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — in football
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bore — to drill
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — music
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. saw — the tool
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mouse — the animal

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