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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: perch · face · fork · ruler · plane · patient · nail · scale

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — in music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. face — to confront
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to point toward
  14. scale — size or range
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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