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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: ball · scale · root · plane · bat · stick · mouse · ground

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bat — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ground — a position
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. scale — in music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. scale — size or range

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