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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — decided
  4. degree — temperature
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. scale — size or range
  11. sharp — clever
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — in music
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pitch — completely
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. degree — an amount
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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