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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: content · hand · spell · track · foot · bulb · rest · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. content — the amount
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spell — magic
  6. content — happy
  7. rest — what's left
  8. track — a path
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — a song
  13. hand — help
  14. bulb — for light
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spell — letters
  21. foot — a measure
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. foot — the bottom

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