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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.

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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 · plane · pass · ground · scale · arm · pitcher · fine

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pass — a permit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. scale — size or range
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. scale — in music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. ground — the earth
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. ground — a position
  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