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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fork — to eat with

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