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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: ground · mug · foot · staff · rash · band · race · suit

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rash — a series
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rash — hasty
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — crushed
  11. race — humankind
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — a position
  15. band — a music group
  16. suit — in cards
  17. staff — a stick
  18. race — the arms race
  19. band — a ring
  20. mug — a face
  21. race — a contest
  22. ground — the earth
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mug — a cup

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