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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: nail · fan · scale · pitch · bowl · plane · safe · spell

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitch — completely
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. scale — in music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spell — magic
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitch — a sports field

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