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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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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: race · bay · cue · drill · toast · bark · foot · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. race — humankind
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — bread
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. cue — a hint
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cue — for pool
  15. foot — a measure
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. drill — army training
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. race — the arms race
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stand — to bear
  24. race — a contest

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