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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 · mark · kid · plane · bore · toast · staff · stand

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. scale — in music
  4. toast — bread
  5. bore — to drill
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bore — to tire
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. scale — size or range
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. staff — employees
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. staff — a stick

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