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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chair · file · stand · rush · staff · pass · scale · bay

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chair — a leader
  4. staff — employees
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rush — hurry
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. file — a line of people
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. file — a tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. staff — a stick
  21. file — a document
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. scale — size or range

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