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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: present · net · roll · pit · wind · swing · rule · staff

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. present — a gift
  5. pit — in a race
  6. swing — in golf
  7. staff — employees
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. roll — a list
  11. net — for catching
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. net — in sport
  14. swing — to play on
  15. staff — a stick
  16. net — after costs
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wind — moving air
  19. roll — a cake
  20. present — the time now
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rule — government

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