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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 · mug · last · tube · drill · racket · staff · hand

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — to rob
  3. hand — in cards
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — a practice
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. drill — the tool
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. drill — army training
  12. tube — a container
  13. staff — employees
  14. last — final
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. last — finally
  17. mug — a face
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. scale — size or range
  20. tube — the underground
  21. scale — in music
  22. hand — help
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. staff — a stick

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