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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.

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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: snap · pass · scale · deal · club · charge · shower · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to click
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. scale — in music
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. deal — to handle
  10. club — a group
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. club — for dancing
  16. shower — to wash
  17. charge — a price
  18. shower — rain
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. scale — size or range
  23. plane — a tool
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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