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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
468
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: stand · chip · straw · track · pass · wax · calf · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — a path
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. straw — a straw man
  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