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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
468
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: wave · spell · track · ball · foot · staff · suit · net

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. foot — a measure
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — to fit
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — for catching
  9. suit — in cards
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. net — after costs
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. track — a song
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — in sport
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. track — to keep track
  22. spell — magic
  23. ball — a great time
  24. track — a path

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