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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: racket · straw · stick · ruler · wave · fine · suit · staff

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fine — all right
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fine — high quality
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ruler — a monarch

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