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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. rule — government
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rule — a law
  11. firm — steady
  12. club — a group
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bark — to shout
  21. club — for golf
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pit — a hole

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