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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · mine · scale · plane · patient · saw · fall · season

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fall — to drop
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. row — a line
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. season — in sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fall — the season
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mine — for digging
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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