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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: scale · bass · mug · branch · face · game · plane · wake

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bass — low music
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wake — a trail
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. scale — size or range
  19. plane — a tool
  20. face — to confront
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mug — a face
  23. scale — in music
  24. wake — before a funeral

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