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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 · plane · date · cabinet · rock · track · stand · lie

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — in music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. track — a song
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rock — music
  24. scale — size or range

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