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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · ball · bay · fan · club · calf · race · band

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — a group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. club — for golf
  18. staff — a stick
  19. race — humankind
  20. band — a ring
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a music group
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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