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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: present · racket · staff · suit · firm · bowl · kid · track

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. suit — to fit
  3. present — there
  4. kid — child
  5. suit — in cards
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a path
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. track — a song
  16. firm — decided
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. staff — a stick
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — to tease
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — to keep track

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