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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. staff — a stick
  3. land — ground
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — to come down
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. dip — to sink
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. land — a country
  23. staff — employees
  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