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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: racket · spell · land · suit · march · straw · safe · staff

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. staff — employees
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — to come down
  18. march — music
  19. land — ground
  20. spell — magic
  21. suit — to fit
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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