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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: kick · ball · racket · bay · saw · staff · foot · capital

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. foot — a measure
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. capital — a city
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ball — a dance
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. saw — the tool
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ball — a great time

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