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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bark · foot · stand · firm · current · chest · march · wax

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chest — of your body
  3. march — the month
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. foot — a measure
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stand — to bear
  21. firm — a company
  22. march — the month
  23. chest — a box
  24. march — music

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