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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: staff · ball · arm · straw · can · fan · charge · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — a stick
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — in control
  9. staff — employees
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. charge — a price
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ball — a great time
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  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