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

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. present — a gift
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. spring — a coil
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — there
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lean — thin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — the time now
  23. spring — of water
  24. lean — to bend

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