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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: bear · chip · stand · land · firm · track · straw · scale

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. stand — to bear
  8. land — a country
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — decided
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — for betting
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. land — ground
  17. chip — to eat
  18. firm — steady
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. land — to come down
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — to keep track
  24. scale — size or range

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