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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stand — to bear
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. race — humankind
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. field — for sport
  12. vault — a safe
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. race — the arms race
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. race — a contest
  19. craft — boats
  20. field — a subject
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. kick — in football

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