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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: squash · cell · toast · fine · scale · net · pound · plane

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fine — all right
  3. cell — in biology
  4. net — in sport
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. scale — size or range
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. scale — in music
  14. net — after costs
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. net — for catching
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. plane — a tool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cell — a phone
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fine — high quality

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