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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: last · roll · track · stand · arm · ground · foot · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ground — a position
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ground — crushed
  9. last — finally
  10. track — to keep track
  11. roll — a list
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — a stick
  19. last — final
  20. ground — the earth
  21. roll — a cake
  22. last — to go on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stand — for spectators

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