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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: plane · hand · spell · deal · tube · scale · firm · suit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. firm — decided
  3. scale — in music
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — a company
  6. spell — letters
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tube — a container
  14. spell — magic
  15. hand — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. firm — steady
  20. spell — a short time
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — size or range
  24. hand — help

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