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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: scale · ground · bound · key · root · mark · land · plane

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. key — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. key — for a lock
  5. plane — a tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. ground — crushed
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a trace
  10. scale — in music
  11. bound — certain
  12. ground — the earth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bound — obliged
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. land — a country
  17. root — the cause
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. bound — tied together
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ground — a position
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. scale — for weighing

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