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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fork — in a road

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