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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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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: arm · bark · date · rock · track · swing · wound · stand

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wound — an injury
  6. swing — music
  7. rock — music
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. track — to keep track
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. wound — an injury
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. track — a path
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. date — the fruit
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rock — a stone
  24. swing — to play on

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