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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: cabinet · bark · rule · sharp · stand · leaves · racket · pit

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — government
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rule — a law
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stand — on your feet

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