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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · can · march · club · track · staff · object · sharp

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. staff — a stick
  4. can — to be able to
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — a group
  7. march — the month
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. object — to protest
  11. march — the month
  12. track — a song
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — a thing
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. sharp — clever
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. track — a path
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — for dancing
  22. march — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — a tin

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