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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: mouse · land · mate · scale · plane · track · bat · bowl

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — in music
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mate — a friend
  10. track — a path
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bat — the animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. land — ground
  17. track — a song
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. land — a country
  22. mate — to breed
  23. land — to come down
  24. track — to keep track

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