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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: track · lash · bay · foot · fork · cabinet · stand · bear

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a path
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fork — in a road
  18. foot — a measure
  19. track — a song
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. cabinet — ministers

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