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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: trunk · stand · chip · chest · bay · rock · squash · foot

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. chip — for betting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rock — music
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chip — to eat

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