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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: trunk · fine · chest · scale · bank · ground · plane · season

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chest — of your body
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. chest — of your body
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. scale — in music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — of the year
  22. chest — a box
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fine — high quality

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