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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: tube · nail · staff · dip · racket · wind · ball · craft

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tube — the underground
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — boats
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a dance
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. tube — a container
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ball — a great time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — employees
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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