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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 · march · mouse · stand · bound · net · cue · swing

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. march — the month
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — after costs
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cue — a hint
  19. swing — music
  20. bound — certain
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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