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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: staff · track · net · chair · cap · rest · rule · safe

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. staff — a stick
  2. net — in sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. track — to keep track
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rule — government
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — a path
  12. rest — what's left
  13. track — a song
  14. rest — a break
  15. net — after costs
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — a law
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — for catching
  22. staff — employees
  23. chair — a professorship
  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