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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: plane · fine · shower · safe · bank · scale · staff · wake

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fine — all right
  5. scale — in music
  6. staff — employees
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. shower — to wash
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — a trail
  15. scale — size or range
  16. staff — employees
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. plane — a tool
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. shower — rain
  24. safe — out of danger

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