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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bark — to shout
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fork — in a road
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. track — a song
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. track — to keep track
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mine — for digging
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. foot — a measure

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