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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: suit · staff · net · toast · club · game · land · press

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. net — in sport
  5. press — newspapers
  6. suit — to fit
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — for golf
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — for dancing
  11. land — a country
  12. net — after costs
  13. press — to push
  14. club — a group
  15. game — a match
  16. press — a publisher
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — bread
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — for catching

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