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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bass · spell · object · ball · staff · wake · drill · band

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bass — low music
  3. spell — letters
  4. drill — the tool
  5. band — a music group
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. object — an aim
  10. spell — a short time
  11. object — to protest
  12. spell — magic
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. band — a ring
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — a thing
  17. staff — employees
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. drill — army training
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bass — the fish
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a great time

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