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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: track · staff · nail · net · dip · scale · deal · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. staff — employees
  3. deal — to handle
  4. track — a path
  5. staff — a stick
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. staff — employees
  10. net — in sport
  11. track — to keep track
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. track — a song
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. nail — for a hammer

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