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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: fan · field · staff · swing · leaves · suit · cap · can

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. staff — a stick
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — in cards
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cap — a lid
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. can — to be able to
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. field — for sport
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — in golf
  21. suit — clothes
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — a tin

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