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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: club · root · staff · stand · saw · rock · lean · wind

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — for golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lean — thin
  9. staff — employees
  10. club — a group
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — to bear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rock — music
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wind — moving air
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wind — moving air
  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