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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: ball · stick · rash · swing · bank · staff · content · suit

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. staff — employees
  5. content — the amount
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bank — of a river
  9. staff — a stick
  10. swing — to play on
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — hasty
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — a series
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. content — happy
  24. swing — music

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