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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.

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: lash · plane · track · dip · stick · face · row · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. row — a line
  3. scale — size or range
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — to sink
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — a tool
  17. track — a song
  18. row — to paddle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. track — a path
  24. plane — an aircraft

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