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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. game — a match
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fine — all right
  10. game — wild animals
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — high quality
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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