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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: hand · mark · wake · leaves · bowl · bear · foot · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. hand — help
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. staff — a stick
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — a trail

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