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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · stock · plane · spell · mug · ground · ball · craft

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stock — goods
  6. ground — the earth
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. scale — in music
  11. ground — crushed
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stock — shares
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mug — a cup
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mug — a face
  20. scale — size or range
  21. spell — letters
  22. ball — a great time
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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