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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: snap · hand · ball · staff · foot · file · suit · scale

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. staff — employees
  5. scale — size or range
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. file — a line of people
  8. suit — clothes
  9. snap — to click
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. staff — employees
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hand — help
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hand — in cards
  24. ball — a dance

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