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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: mouse · pass · net · last · chair · cell · staff · swing

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. last — finally
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — after costs
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. last — to go on
  15. cell — a phone
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. last — final
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. swing — to play on

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