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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: stand · trunk · track · mark · deal · bark · hand · stick

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — to handle
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. hand — help
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. mark — a grade
  24. hand — in cards

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