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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 120 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: swing · land · staff · bear · lean · foot · bay · bark

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bark — to shout
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. foot — a measure
  12. land — ground
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — thin
  15. land — to come down
  16. staff — a stick
  17. land — a country
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. swing — music
  24. bear — the animal

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