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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 116 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: mark · track · scale · plane · drill · object · swing · bay

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. swing — in golf
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — in music
  7. drill — a practice
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — a thing
  13. track — a path
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. object — an aim
  19. swing — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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