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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — a city
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. capital — money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pass — a permit
  17. board — a committee
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fall — the season
  21. board — to get on
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fall — to drop
  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