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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pass — a permit
  3. row — a line
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. craft — a skill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. roll — a list
  23. kick — in football
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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