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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. staff — employees
  6. squash — to crush
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. field — for sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. field — a subject
  16. stand — to bear
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bulb — for light
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. field — farmland

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