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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: staff · swing · rest · club · foot · stick · land · craft

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. club — a group
  3. rest — what's left
  4. land — to come down
  5. craft — boats
  6. swing — in golf
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. club — for dancing
  9. swing — music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. craft — a skill
  15. club — for golf
  16. rest — a break
  17. swing — to play on
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. land — a country
  20. rest — what's left
  21. foot — a measure
  22. staff — employees
  23. land — ground
  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