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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: plane · scale · lash · game · tube · fall · fine · firm

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. plane — a tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. game — a match
  6. tube — a container
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tube — the underground
  10. firm — a company
  11. fine — all right
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fall — the season
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. game — wild animals
  23. scale — in music
  24. firm — steady

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