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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.

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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: racket · bat · suit · scale · plane · land · object · staff

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bat — the animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. suit — to fit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — to come down
  14. scale — in music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. land — a country
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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