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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stand — to bear

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