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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bound — tied together
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stand — to bear
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. bound — certain
  24. craft — a handicraft

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