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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — a thing
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chest — a box
  14. cap — a lid
  15. track — a path
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cap — of ice
  20. firm — a company
  21. object — an aim
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. track — a song
  24. chest — of your body

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