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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. march — the month
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. swing — in golf
  14. march — the month
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. swing — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. march — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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