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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.

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: arm · scale · hide · court · bound · plane · fine · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. scale — in music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. court — of law
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — of a king
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fine — all right
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — for sport
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bound — tied together
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fine — high quality
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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