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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cue — a hint
  6. capital — a city
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — government
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. calf — of the leg

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