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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: leaves · stand · cold · staff · row · rush · suit · rock

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. rush — hurry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rock — a stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cold — an illness
  12. staff — employees
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. row — a line
  15. suit — in cards
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rock — music
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cold — not warm

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