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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: staff · stand · club · temple · track · bark · wave · mark

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — a group
  4. track — a path
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. track — a song
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. track — to keep track
  11. staff — employees
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mark — a trace

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