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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
468
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 · scale · bat · kick · staff · perch · row · wave

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. row — a line
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bat — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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