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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: lean · temple · spell · mark · file · scale · plane · object

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. object — a thing
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. object — to protest
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — magic
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. plane — a tool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. object — an aim
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. file — a line of people
  24. lean — to bend

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