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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. season — in sport
  13. roll — a list
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — hurry
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — child
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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