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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: ball · staff · object · track · fine · march · wave · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. march — the month
  4. object — a thing
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. march — the month
  12. object — an aim
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. staff — employees
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a song
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ball — a dance
  22. march — music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. fine — all right

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