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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · scale · fork · staff · foot · swing · row · ball

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. staff — employees
  10. ball — a dance
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. row — a line
  14. net — after costs
  15. swing — in golf
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — to play on
  18. net — for catching
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — to paddle
  21. net — in sport
  22. swing — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. row — a quarrel

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