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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: hand · net · racket · staff · safe · firm · wax · straw

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. hand — help
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — to grow
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — for catching
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. net — after costs
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hand — in cards
  23. firm — a company
  24. staff — a stick

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