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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
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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: squash · scale · degree · suit · plane · safe · face · land

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. land — to come down
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. scale — in music
  6. face — to confront
  7. degree — from a university
  8. degree — an amount
  9. face — part of the head
  10. land — a country
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. squash — to crush
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. squash — the sport
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. degree — temperature
  23. plane — a tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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