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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. present — the time now
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lean — to bend
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. roll — a list
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. present — there
  18. lean — thin
  19. present — a gift
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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