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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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468
Word bank
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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — to play on
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — a container
  12. face — part of the head
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. face — to confront
  21. rest — what's left
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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