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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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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: firm · racket · chip · staff · bay · season · prune · fork

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. firm — a company
  4. season — of the year
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — decided
  10. chip — for betting
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. firm — steady
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. staff — employees
  19. chip — to eat
  20. prune — to trim
  21. staff — employees
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — a horse colour

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