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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: mate · fall · staff · foot · saw · pitcher · suit · bowl

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. staff — employees
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mate — to breed
  10. suit — clothes
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. suit — in cards
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fall — the season
  18. saw — the tool
  19. staff — employees
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. mate — a partner

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