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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
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: spell · plane · mine · key · scale · object · perch · mouse

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mine — for digging
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. object — an aim
  11. scale — size or range
  12. spell — letters
  13. scale — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. spell — magic
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spell — a short time
  23. object — a thing
  24. plane — in geometry

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