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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: stand · charge · content · land · mate · shower · scale · plane

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stand — to bear
  10. scale — size or range
  11. land — ground
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mate — a friend
  14. land — a country
  15. charge — a price
  16. shower — rain
  17. mate — to breed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. charge — in control
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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