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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.

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: kid · racket · squash · root · scale · mouse · track · chair

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. track — to keep track
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. root — the cause
  11. squash — to crush
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — a path
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. track — a song
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chair — a leader
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. kid — to tease
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mouse — the animal

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