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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · rest · staff · ball · dip · game · bay · tube

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. tube — the underground
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. staff — employees
  12. game — a match
  13. staff — a stick
  14. game — wild animals
  15. object — a thing
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. object — to protest
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rest — what's left

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