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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. file — a tool
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a document
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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