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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: cabinet · scale · ground · wave · plane · mine · mark · calf

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — size or range
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ground — a position
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. scale — in music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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