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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: plane · nail · root · staff · scale · rule · drill · last

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rule — a law
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — of a plant
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rule — government
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — the cause
  15. last — to go on
  16. drill — army training
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. scale — in music
  20. drill — the tool
  21. last — final
  22. plane — a tool
  23. scale — size or range
  24. last — finally

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