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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. firm — decided
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — steady
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. snap — to click
  9. field — for sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — farmland
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. field — a subject
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stand — to bear
  24. temple — side of the head

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