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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.

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: rule · chair · ball · stand · staff · key · suit · straw

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chair — a leader
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. staff — a stick
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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