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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · spell · chest · dip · stand · leaves

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chest — of your body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. dip — to sink
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — letters
  18. chest — of your body

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