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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. season — in sport
  14. perch — the fish
  15. current — of water
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. current — electric
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — on your feet

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