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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: plane · leaves · bark · spell · cue · scale · march · can

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. march — the month
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. spell — magic
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cue — a hint
  8. march — the month
  9. spell — letters
  10. march — music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spell — a short time
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cue — for pool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. can — a tin

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