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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mate — a partner
  9. firm — steady
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. firm — decided
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. stand — to bear
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bat — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — of the sea

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