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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 · pass · deal · swing · nail · rush · roll

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. scale — size or range
  3. swing — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. deal — to handle
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. scale — in music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. plane — a tool
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. roll — a list

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