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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: mark · lean · scale · ground · present · kid · plane · suit

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. lean — to bend
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — crushed
  7. present — the time now
  8. lean — thin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — a position
  11. kid — to tease
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kid — child
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. scale — size or range
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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