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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — shares
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. object — to protest
  9. stock — goods
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. object — a thing
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. object — an aim
  24. straw — dry grass

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