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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: foot · staff · leaves · board · file · stand · race · bank

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a tool
  9. foot — a measure
  10. staff — employees
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. file — a document
  14. race — humankind
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bank — of a river
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. race — a contest
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. race — the arms race
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stand — to bear

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