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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. present — the time now
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pit — a hole
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — there
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — the fish
  23. present — a gift
  24. pit — in a race

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