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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · sharp · staff · stand · wind · rash · mine · chest

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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 — for spectators
  2. object — to protest
  3. chest — a box
  4. staff — employees
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chest — of your body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rash — hasty
  15. object — a thing
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rash — a series
  19. object — an aim
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chest — of your body
  23. sharp — exactly
  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