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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 116 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.

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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: nail · hand · root · racket · plane · ball · cue · drill

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. cue — a signal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hand — help
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cue — a hint
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cue — for pool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — of a word
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — a practice
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. hand — in cards
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — on a finger

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