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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: ground · leaves · straw · band · plane · sharp · charge · scale

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. scale — size or range
  7. plane — a tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. band — a music group
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — clever
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. charge — a price
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. band — a ring
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. ground — crushed
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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