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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · staff · plane · squash · root · file · racket · scale

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. root — the cause
  9. scale — in music
  10. file — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. staff — employees
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. staff — a stick
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. saw — the tool

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