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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 116 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: straw · ball · firm · club · plane · stand · mate · staff

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — for golf
  6. firm — decided
  7. staff — employees
  8. mate — a friend
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. firm — steady
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mate — to breed
  15. club — a group
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mate — a partner
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ball — a dance
  23. firm — a company
  24. staff — employees

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