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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 116 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: net · key · present · swing · chip · staff · rash · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. present — the time now
  3. net — for catching
  4. swing — in golf
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. present — there
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chip — for betting
  9. net — in sport
  10. swing — music
  11. key — in music
  12. net — after costs
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. present — a gift
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rash — a series

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