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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
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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: bark · stand · wax · pop · bore · pound · patient · foot

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pop — music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wax — to grow
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bark — to shout

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