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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 · leaves · mug · fork · fan · stand · club · pop

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mug — a face
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mug — to rob
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mug — a cup
  13. club — a group
  14. pop — soda
  15. fork — in a road
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. staff — a stick
  24. club — for dancing

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