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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stock — shares
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — goods
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rest — a break
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — to handle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lean — thin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a dance

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