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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — a company
  6. track — a song
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stand — to bear
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — steady
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. track — to keep track
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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