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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
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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 · safe · mark · pit · pitcher · leaves · plane · craft

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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 — to pay attention
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mark — a trace
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a skill
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — in music
  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