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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.

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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: straw · ball · chip · bay · band · staff · object · foot

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a great time
  4. foot — a measure
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ball — a dance
  8. object — to protest
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. object — an aim
  13. band — a ring
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. object — a thing

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