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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 120 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: land · board · saw · chest · foot · staff · prune · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — to fit
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. staff — a stick
  18. land — to come down
  19. chest — of your body
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. land — ground
  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