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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: mouse · ball · spring · staff · foot · wind · suit · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. suit — in cards
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wind — moving air
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. wind — moving air
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. spring — of water
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rest — a break

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