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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.

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: scale · snap · leaves · plane · fine · ball · stem · court

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ball — a dance
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fine — all right
  11. snap — to click
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. court — for sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. court — of law
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stem — to come from
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. court — of a king
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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