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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 120 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: firm · straw · staff · ball · deal · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. capital — money
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. deal — to handle
  8. staff — a stick
  9. capital — a city
  10. firm — decided
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a great time
  16. firm — a company
  17. staff — employees
  18. firm — steady

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