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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 120 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 · bay · net · chip · ball · hide · wave · present

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. net — for catching
  5. present — the time now
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — there
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. net — after costs
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — for betting
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a dance
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — in sport
  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