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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: bore · lean · last · date · scale · fine · safe · plane

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. last — final
  6. scale — size or range
  7. date — the fruit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lean — thin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. last — finally
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. last — to go on
  22. scale — in music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. scale — for weighing

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