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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pass — a permit
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. vault — a safe
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. field — a subject
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. field — farmland

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