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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 116 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: staff · ball · present · calf · band · stick · fine · chip

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. staff — a stick
  7. present — a gift
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. chip — for betting
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — all right
  13. present — there
  14. ball — a dance
  15. band — a music group
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. band — a ring
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. staff — employees
  24. present — the time now

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