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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 120 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. track — a path
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. degree — from a university
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. track — a song
  17. degree — temperature
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stand — on your feet

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