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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: plane · club · bank · mug · staff · fork · ground · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. club — a group
  3. ground — crushed
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mug — a face
  6. bank — of a river
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bank — for money
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ground — a position
  14. club — for golf
  15. ground — the earth
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mug — to rob
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — in a road

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