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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. staff — employees
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — to bear
  8. tear — from crying
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — a weight
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bass — low music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mate — a friend

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