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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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Word bank
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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: rest · suit · bat · bulb · sharp · field · calf · staff

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. field — a subject
  6. rest — a break
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. field — for sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. field — farmland
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bat — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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