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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: safe · scale · rash · plane · pass · bark · sharp · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. club — a group
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. plane — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rash — a series
  18. sharp — clever
  19. scale — in music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — size or range

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