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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.

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: wave · nail · squash · racket · fall · tube · staff · plane

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. staff — employees
  5. fall — to drop
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — to crush
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — the season
  17. tube — a container
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fall — to drop
  23. squash — the sport
  24. wave — with your hand

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