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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · field · kick · board · chip · rock · stand · rash

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. kick — in football
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rock — music
  13. board — a committee
  14. staff — employees
  15. field — for sport
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — to get on
  21. field — farmland
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — a series
  24. field — a subject

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