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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 · hand · ruler · foot · bank · swing · chair · wake

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. staff — a stick
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bank — for money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. staff — employees
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wake — a trail
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bank — of a river
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. hand — help
  23. staff — employees
  24. chair — to sit 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