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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: staff · game · stem · stand · racket · foot · rush · ball

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — employees
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. staff — a stick
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stem — to come from
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. foot — a measure
  12. game — a match
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ball — a dance
  22. staff — employees
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stem — of a plant

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