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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — happy
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. content — the amount
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bark — to shout
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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