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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. firm — steady
  8. club — for golf
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. squash — to crush
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. capital — a city
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — money
  23. firm — decided
  24. club — a group

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