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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: face · rest · staff · rash · swing · racket · bulb · stand

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to point toward
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to confront
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — to bear
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rest — a break
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. swing — music
  15. rash — hasty
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — a stick
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bulb — for light
  22. swing — to play on
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — a series

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