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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: staff · stand · rest · last · deal · stick

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. rest — what's left
  4. last — finally
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. last — final
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. last — to go on
  13. staff — a stick
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stand — to bear
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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