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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: content · can · scale · roll · wave · row · plane · perch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — in music
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. content — the amount
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — the fish
  13. roll — a cake
  14. row — a line
  15. content — happy
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. plane — a tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. scale — size or range
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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