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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · clip · bark · content · spell · suit · pit · hide

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spell — letters
  9. content — the amount
  10. clip — to cut
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. clip — a video
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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