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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 116 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: kid · scale · race · pitcher · suit · fine · plane · land

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. race — the arms race
  6. land — ground
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kid — child
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. race — humankind
  12. land — a country
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. suit — in cards
  15. race — a contest
  16. fine — all right
  17. land — to come down
  18. scale — in music
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. scale — size or range
  22. kid — to tease
  23. fine — high quality
  24. plane — an aircraft

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