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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: rash · object · hand · squash · roll · scale · current · plane

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. current — electric
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. scale — size or range
  5. object — to protest
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. roll — a list
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. current — happening now
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. plane — a tool
  14. roll — a cake
  15. scale — in music
  16. hand — in cards
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. hand — help
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. squash — the sport
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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