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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kid — child
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — the tool
  7. kid — to tease
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. present — there
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. present — the time now
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. present — a gift
  17. drill — a practice
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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