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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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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: calf · scale · row · fall · spring · racket · ruler · plane

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. plane — a tool
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. spring — of water
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — the season
  13. row — a line
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. row — to paddle
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — a coil
  18. scale — in music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. racket — for tennis

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