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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: pass · staff · fan · ball · ground · band · club · chair

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ground — a position
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. band — a ring
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — employees
  14. pass — a permit
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. club — for dancing
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — employees
  20. club — a group
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — a stick
  23. club — for golf
  24. pass — to succeed

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