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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. cold — an illness
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. object — to protest
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cold — not warm
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. march — the month
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the 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