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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: wind · club · suit · board · staff · hide · stand · toast

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. toast — bread
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — to fit
  6. club — a group
  7. board — to get on
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a committee
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. stand — to bear
  14. suit — in cards
  15. staff — a stick
  16. club — for golf
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wind — moving air
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. staff — employees

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