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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 120 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: sharp · stick · wave · pit · ruler · leaves · rash · staff

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pit — a hole
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. staff — employees
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — in a race
  23. staff — employees
  24. ruler — a monarch

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