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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: band · ground · staff · racket · ball · suit · arm · leaves

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. band — a ring
  3. suit — in cards
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ball — a great time
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ground — a position
  14. suit — to fit
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ground — crushed
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. band — a music group

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