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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.

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 · spell · board · racket · wind · suit · staff · cap

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — an aim
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cap — of ice
  7. suit — to fit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a lid
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. spell — letters
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — a committee
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. board — to get on
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — a thing
  24. staff — employees

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