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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 116 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: bark · calf · staff · chip · pit · spring · stand · bulb

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — employees
  6. spring — of water
  7. chip — to eat
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stand — to bear
  18. spring — the season
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stand — on your feet

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