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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cap — a hat
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. current — of water
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. sharp — clever
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. current — electric
  24. sharp — exactly

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