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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
468
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: season · leaves · staff · ruler · wound · wake · swing · arm

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. season — of the year
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. swing — to play on
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — employees
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wound — an injury
  22. swing — music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. staff — a stick

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