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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: bank · snap · track · staff · ground · foot · fan · saw

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. track — to keep track
  4. snap — to click
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — a measure
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. track — a path
  19. ground — a position
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. track — a song
  22. saw — the tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — to cool the air

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