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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bark — to shout
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. leaves — lets stay

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