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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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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — steady
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. season — of the year
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — to bear
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. swing — to play on
  17. staff — employees
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — decided
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. swing — music
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. foot — a measure

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