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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. key — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. drill — army training
  10. firm — decided
  11. key — the most important part
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. key — for a lock
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cold — an illness
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cold — not warm

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