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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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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: cabinet · arm · scale · bulb · foot · swing · plane · season

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — in sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — a measure
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — to play on
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. swing — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. plane — a tool
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. scale — in music

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