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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 124 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — a cup
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mug — a face
  10. pass — a permit
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — decided
  17. degree — from a university
  18. court — for sport
  19. degree — an amount
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. degree — temperature
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pass — to succeed

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