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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · rash · chair · track · snap · wave · ball · ground

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. track — a song
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. staff — employees
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rash — a series
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. snap — to click
  16. ground — a position
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. track — a path
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. ball — a great time
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ball — a round shape

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