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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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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: ruler · toast · scale · plane · drill · wake · pound · land

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. scale — size or range
  4. drill — a practice
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. land — ground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — a tool
  11. land — a country
  12. scale — in music
  13. drill — army training
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. toast — bread
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. drill — the tool
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wake — a trail
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. land — to come down
  24. pound — a weight

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