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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · shower · bark · rest · scale · plane · wave · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bark — to shout
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. scale — in music
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — rain
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rest — a break
  23. saw — the tool
  24. scale — for weighing

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