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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bore — to drill
  9. race — a contest
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bore — to tire
  14. race — humankind
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. race — the arms race
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — what's left

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