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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: nail · scale · bank · mouse · last · root · chair · racket

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. last — finally
  3. bank — of a river
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. scale — size or range
  6. root — the cause
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bank — for money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — to go on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. last — final
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. scale — for weighing

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