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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pit — a hole
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stand — to bear
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. club — a group
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. club — for dancing
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. spell — magic
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. club — for golf
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. spell — letters
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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