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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. dip — to sink
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rest — a break
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. capital — a city
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. drill — army training
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. drill — a practice
  24. capital — money

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