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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: mouse · foot · chip · bark · rock · stand · last · pop

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. pop — music
  13. last — finally
  14. last — final
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. last — to go on
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pop — soda
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rock — to move gently

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