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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: pass · jam · chair · bark · foot · face · track · deal

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. track — a path
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pass — a permit
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chair — a leader
  14. face — to confront
  15. track — a song
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. face — part of the head
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — a measure
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chair — a professorship

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