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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 120 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: swing · craft · drill · object · staff · land · pit · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — army training
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — to come down
  5. drill — a practice
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — boats
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — employees
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stand — to bear
  14. staff — a stick
  15. object — an aim
  16. land — a country
  17. craft — a skill
  18. swing — music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. land — ground
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. object — to protest
  23. swing — in golf
  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