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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: scale · racket · nail · spell · fine · jam · wind · plane

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — in music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. spell — letters
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. spell — magic
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fine — all right
  20. wind — moving air
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. plane — a tool

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