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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. capital — a city
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. stand — to bear
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. firm — steady
  10. key — the most important part
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — in a race
  13. key — in music
  14. capital — money
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — a company
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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