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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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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: stick · swing · stem · staff · kid · can · foot · leaves

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — child
  6. staff — a stick
  7. can — a tin
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. foot — a measure
  10. staff — employees
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kid — to tease
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — to be able to
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. swing — music
  24. foot — the bottom

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