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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 120 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: bowl · foot · scale · firm · rest · plane · fork · press

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — in music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — to push
  15. firm — decided
  16. press — a publisher
  17. firm — a company
  18. rest — what's left
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. press — newspapers
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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