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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. face — part of the head
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. lie — to recline
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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