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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.

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: staff · game · pass · object · squash · racket · chair · bank

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — to protest
  4. staff — a stick
  5. game — wild animals
  6. chair — a leader
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. game — a match
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bank — of a river
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — employees
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

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