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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
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: root · perch · firm · ball · bat · plane · staff · row

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. staff — employees
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ball — a great time
  19. row — a line
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. root — of a plant

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