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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: foot · bark · object · fan · firm · stand · bear · cap

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cap — a lid
  10. object — an aim
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. firm — a company
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — decided
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — steady
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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