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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · band · stand · plane · field · season · mug · object

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. field — for sport
  4. mug — a face
  5. plane — a tool
  6. field — a subject
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. staff — employees
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. field — farmland
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — of the year
  19. staff — a stick
  20. band — a music group
  21. object — to protest
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stand — to bear
  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