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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: foot · fine · race · stand · perch · roll · bay · leaves

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — a measure
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fine — all right
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. roll — a cake

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