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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. content — happy
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lean — to bend
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. content — the amount
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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