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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: staff · key · bass · wave · game · racket · bowl · stand

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bass — low music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stand — on your feet
  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