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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: lean · degree · leaves · club · land · stand · stick · swing

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. land — a country
  9. lean — thin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to bend
  12. land — ground
  13. club — for golf
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — music
  18. land — to come down
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. degree — from a university
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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