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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.

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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: squash · calf · lean · plane · deal · staff · ball · file

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — a tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a great time
  6. file — a document
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. file — a tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. squash — the sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — a stick
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a line of people

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