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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. staff — a stick
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fork — in a road
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. staff — employees
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. season — of the year
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — in sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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